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It means "often". "Often" is actually a lengthened form of "oft"
Oft is a poetic way of saying "often."
Shakespeare's text is written in early modern English, not shakespeare talk. But I digress, oft means "often."
"Oft" is the same word as "often". You will notice that words with -en at the end will sometimes have a form without the -en ending. Thus "hap" and "happen", "ope" and "open". Many of these appear to be adjectives formed from the past forms of words or from nouns, as "wooden" from "wood", "hempen" from "hemp", "shotten" from "shot".
In the case of words like "often", the ending has survived after the reason for it has ceased to be.
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What does shortened word oft mean in shakespeare?
Oft is not a shortened word. Often is a lengthened word. The original word is oft and the form often did not appear until about a century before Shakespeare's day. They are, of course, the same word and mean the same thing.
What does Shakespeare's word mad-bread mean?
Sorry, Shakespeare did not use that word.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word townsfolk?
Shakespeare does not use the word townsfolk.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word forth?
In a forward direction.
How many abbreviations did William Shakespeare use in his writing?
'tis, ope, o'er, gi, ne'er, i', e'er, oft, a', e'ev are some abbreviations made be shakespeare
What does shortened word oft mean in shakespeare?
Oft is not a shortened word. Often is a lengthened word. The original word is oft and the form often did not appear until about a century before Shakespeare's day. They are, of course, the same word and mean the same thing.
What does shakespeare mean by the work 'oft'?
Often
Is there a 1 syllable word for often?
Yes, the word 'oft', but it is an archaic word or only used in 'literary' works.e.g."Oft expectation fails, and most oft thereWhere most it promises; and oft it hitsWhere hope is coldest, and despair most fits."[Shakespeare: All's Well That Ends Well, Scene II, Act I. Words spoken by Helena.]
What does Shakespeare's word mad-bread mean?
Sorry, Shakespeare did not use that word.
Is there a quote in one of Shakespeare's plays about being asleep in the arms of Morpheus?
It is an oft quoted phrase but it is not from any of Shakespeare's plays.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word townsfolk?
Shakespeare does not use the word townsfolk.
What does oft mean?
Oft is a poetic way of saying "often."
What is a poetic word?
oft is a poetic word
What does Shakespeare mean by the word forth?
In a forward direction.
What does Shakespeare mean by the word the?
Shakespeare wrote in English. "The" means exactly the same when he used it as it does when you use it.
Dictionary word ending in oft?
loft
How many abbreviations did William Shakespeare use in his writing?
'tis, ope, o'er, gi, ne'er, i', e'er, oft, a', e'ev are some abbreviations made be shakespeare
